New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-15
PROBLEMS IN FORESTRY.
uowro MANAGE AMERICAN WOODS

HOW TO MANAGE AMERICAN WOODS
AIRPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE DIvr s!os,. Of 3.
the Commissioner Of Asriouisure. 1886.
Tho report of the Chief Of tho Division of FOrusy
sh,cb has Just appeared . portion Of tho general
Scport OF tho Department Of Agriculture u dshos
Improvement upon tho best thss has preceded IL FOR
Nzt 6, atscs proper dismissed with scant menuon
II Il true that careful statistical work Is necessary In
~oe directions to furnish tho basis for an intelligent
forest policy the part Of the Government. We
only know for example, I'm q general way, where the
Government timber lands lie, not to speak Of their
extent and productive value. But so long rs inc
elaborate and costly machinery for securing full ano
accurate figures Ii not at command 1t seems Wise "
postpons any effort which would result IN nero "p
proclamation. An approach toward accuracy was @
that coud possibly DO attained In the earie' rese~
NJ this bureau. But the four volumes areaoy pun
lishsd, together with the ninth volume oi inc 'on.
census furnish adequate data for most VI .o 80 80
alixations upon which we are prepared W ~ -.
suffice at least show how wantoniy our iofeeo -.
bas besn souandered, and demonstrate inc heoes',
- .ax,.d .nd systematic action by Government
.x n..cis IN arrest this waste. 1t may Do sAu hof
thst Mr. Fernow's scheme for Forest Depa. 'nvn'
uaes not seem altogether feasible In us WORKING
hut n sboud be added that no better one mas se' ~
nresentcd to the public. Tho prooaeihs " oe nv
J,.cussinc the proper extent of Government cohroi
y. .os,s tbe conflict between the Immediate wants
20 .o,t,ers and the future needs Of the community,
and in general the adjustment between ihdi''oud.
ownership and State Administrations ulese' ho'
10 speak of the proper policy Of Government, o'a'o
and National, after the limits OF their authority a
6,av settled, involve questions most dimcuiS anu
xielie ate-QuesAOns which need iar hoi0 'e
study than they have yet received
M tho signficance of forests in their influence upon
,,imate soil and water supply and Vi ther hnpV''
.nce in furnishing material essential IN every iorn
NJ human industry, much has been written ID rece
.e.rs that Mr. Fcrnow wisely contents hiinseif Win
!. concise summary on these points Inc pfino N"'"o
az the report ia in the section which uea's VI 'no
,,,c,r,es OF forestry proper where the writer SHOWS
a familiarity with what has been learned from eApe
rence In Europe and a certain readiness " ~pN
these lessons to the different eonditiohs pfeDen -
this country Very plainly, American ioresy n'".'
differ in detail from European fcresty' anu nuoo,'
OWING to varied climate, not 10 speak of Var'eo h
=, The neone I'm different parts Of the Unhed s'A'es'
a. host forest practice In State may diner wdey
tropr that of another On part OF the PACING No"s'
one NAV travel for leagues through 'he ni'es' 'o
o,.,,s timber Of the world without finding SUCK
that would answer for a wagon spoke Fores' mar
arcn,eut here would certainly differ from what was
nce,ed further East in the home OF the haru "oo'+
And as The methods OF wheat farming III inc h"Ss
oah not nav In the Red River Valley, SO the FOREST
,raetice in densey peopled community, where iaoor
is cheap and every bundle OF fasgots las It's pi.e'
rould certainly not be adapted to any par' VI ui'
country at present. Until driven to IL Oy d. "oou
famine Americans VIII not practise 'ho reiino"e"
OF forestry, which involve much iaoof anu WIZ
the harvest is so remote .
I.s.,n broad principles, however, are worth con-
sderng as essential in any system or lack Vi sss'o
and among these is the general superiority VI me-
plantations over those consisting Of sheo spooo'
That there are good reasons for this has long poon
,acognized II has been the habit Of western piahV
hatua
and costly seedlings with cheaper and quickly s'o"e
,r az as IN keep the ground shaded and snbduo INC
ass and Weeds. This inferior growth can 10 to
moved as the nobler trees expand ana Ill inc spa
Fvcn then the trees that were 10 remain i"ie "
black walnut white ash or some o'her ono 60,
90 that the plantation would pfscucanS O0
before IL was half grown In favor OF mxed pein'@
s,.nt.,iono Il has been urged a. that variety OF
,rc, 20 a certain extent is readily marketape'
20, that one tree species may be supposed 10 ecu 0
largely on some particular element VI INC so"' NJ
another species partial to another ele'neh'' o. ~
a mixed growth would be more likely W u'inAo u.o
tu nroduetiye capacity OF the soil 90 that the roo's
I.- srac,ss run near the surface, while those OF
another NAV feed moro deeply, and therefore IL Is
,,tsable 10 mInge trees with dissimilar haDts III
this respect; (D that when any species Is a.'aou "
,ninrious fungi or insects their raVages VIII 10 nv
serious in groves composed of this species ony 'hl
would he the case other kinds which do not AURA,
,ecles and (5l that uniform growth Oh cer'a'"
snaciss would receive greater damage from VIM Vi
fire To these considerations MI ferhoW " -
trees with thin fclisge, and which, uereiore' uo D
c,oseIv shade tho ground or return W IL ho"'S 80
40 ,e.f moud fail In both these respects 10 conserve
r Increase favorable soil conditions, ana they Shou
n.t,u. no mixed with trees having more dense
t,,,age ard that an underground should DO proN'u'
30 trces and shrubs that thrive under inc sh~io" "
che taller species older ones VI the saiio 'ps'
Mr. Fernow enlarges somewhat upon 'ni' 49,
,a n b,s list of important mber trees he aVOoapo
10 classify them in some degree ao0o'e ~, ,he
ability to endure shade. 1t Is TO Do no'oo ~ 49,
80 rh,ch are said to be "shade enduring arc aho
hov,v ,eaved while the thin foliaged trees arc sPo
az MECHANICALLY with eight needing uees ip0
ara many exceptions to this rue, Inc pisNA -, -,
Oar example is called light needing as II is cer'an'
thin follaced But every wanderer tnrousn wv
ern woods must remember how ot'eh TINS WV ~.
sues large fraction Of the underground ano 'n.S
ou,bt "a Give IL rank "shade-endurihg hi''
This capacity for shade varies according W "so M
s,nstion no doubt, and In note TO the 'roe ca'"e
a caution is added that it Is "reiati'e q"'
This perhaps, explains some apparent ooh'i 49,
Tho white nine for examples cassed among tfoc' "
M w. ,,o much shade" While in another place
., a. e.id nv way of illustrations "If by cutting 'nin
follaged forest (oak) existing CROWN oi sh"d
during species (whte plne) is gwen the pon7u' ', ~.
creased light, the latter will occupy inc srouna :" -
exclusion Of the former" The ueatineh' VI ."'' '
,ect. owing perhaps to Limitation OF space, y,
what confusing In its detals-and the chei '~uo -
or. az IL relates to this subject does not lie IN
,ts sneciao directions II is the general susscsuon
opening field which far as we know has no. Deen
.hoouehlv explored that gives it interest IL u Is
,mportant to consider the root systems OF uoo' ~
estimating their influence upon their companions aN
upon the soil. we may reasonably suppose 'n~s I no
character OF the foliage OF cohps"io" "0''
studied to advantage. 1000,
AS for the rest, it may be said that the genera
,..,,,ss of forestry laid down sound and plainly
stated. although tho rules for forest mahaeoh'ou'
al6cr In many points from tho methods .n"' pr,o